Stories from Thursday, November 5, 2009

"Sesame Street," the longest-running American children's TV program and the winner of a record 119 Emmy Awards, turns 40 on November 10. Its success owes much to intensive audience research, the imagination of the late Muppeteer Jim Henson, and a genuine concern for the social skills of youngsters; but mostly it's still around because of the shrewd decision to set it in an integrated inner-city neighborhood...